The Shadow Killer
by Vycre
Summary: She isn't like normal women. She isn't in fact a woman. She is a killer. Without mercy and feeling. She is know as the Shadow Killer. But she good of evil?
1. Chapter 1 How it began

Chapter 1 – How it began…

'The dog is the best friend a human can have. They're reliable, loyal and they are most honest of creatures. So why don't you all show your little puppy how much you love him by cuddling him and playing with him', a young woman's voice sounded through the small barn. It was filled with little children, boys and girls between the age of 4 and 6. All had a little sweet puppy in front of them and ere playing with the small animals. Voices, cries and laughter filled with joy were heard even outside the small red wooden barn. There was no glass in the windows of the playhouse. Glass was something for the rich people like Magicians, Tradesmen and other kind of rich men and women. The only thing that was able to keep the cold winds out in the winter were the thick wooden shutters. But it was spring now and it was nice outside so the shutters were wide open. The barn were the children played during the day was a bit outside the little town. It stood in a open field in the middle of the woods. You could see the village easily from the playing ground, but you still had to walk a bit between the both places. Maybe if you would shout hart enough as a little child of 5 you would be heard in the town.

Nobody noticed in the beginning. The sun dimming a bit and eventually disappearing behind the almost black clouds. The four young women who were watching the children found out that something wasn't complete okay, when suddenly it started to rain and the thunder rolled through the black skies. The children were a bit afraid, but the small puppy's licking their fingers and asking for attention so they were soon busy with their animals. The four women got to their feet to try and shot the big heavy shutters and that's when they say them…

During the moments of blinding lightning the big group was perfectly visible. The men were not even the most scary of all. Their were dressed in black or dark brown. Faces covered with masks, which were placed over their mouths and noses, leaving only the fearsome eyes to be seen. In their hands they all had a huge pole arm. It was a long stick made of delicate light coloured wood protected with iron rings around it every few inch. At top of the stick was a large spear point which shown in light of the lighting bolts. The point itself wasn't the usual colour of iron, it was far brighter than that. It looked like it was made of silver, but with the strength of crystal. The men were quit impressive, but that was not what scared the four youngsters the most. It were the animals at their feet. The group existed out of 10 maybe 12 men. But each men had three hyena's in front of them. The beasts didn't deserve the name 'animal' because they were the lowest life and hunting form in the animal kingdom. They were outcasts themselves and that was why they most of the times made an alliance with men like those. They would be feet, most of the time human flesh if it was available and otherwise just simple animal flesh. It was obvious that the hyena's hadn't eaten in quit a while because the laughter of the children and the barking of the puppy's drove them crazy. You could see it in their eyes, when they want to attack, when they are beyond control and not be able to called back until they were fed.

The groups stared at each other for utterly minutes, both waiting of what would happen. The caretakers of the children knew that even when they managed to shut the shutters they wouldn't stand a single chance. This little house wasn't build against the force of more than 30 wild driven animals. And the children wouldn't be able to run towards the town. They

would al be dead before reaching the edge of the forest. So the only thing they could do was turn around to the children and trying to make them as comfortable as possible. The youngest of the women was watching the captain of the group attackers and during a moment of perfect silence she whispered: 'Please my Lord, make it a quick and painless as possible.' The man in the middle took his mask off and a evil grin was spreading across his face. 'Missy, were are not here to do it quick. We are here to have fun and enjoy ourselves.' Then the hyena's charged.

Overlooking everything that had happened the attack was over pretty soon. The dogs in a pack of more than 30 beasts jumped most of the time through the two large open windows. As soon as they landed and smelled the panic around the children and the puppy's their feast began. Puppy's were swallowed in one bite, children were brutally killed by ripping their throats or biting of their small heads. A few time the beasts fought over a poor innocent child and he had to suffer while the massive creatures tore him apart while the little boy was still alive. The caretakers looked while their protégées were murdered. And then at the moment the pack turned towards them a man entered the building. He didn't spoke, but grasps his pole arm and stabbed the women fast and clear through the heart. 'Their you have your mercy missy.'


	2. Chapter 2 Who is next to kill?

Chapter 2 – Who is next to kill?

I'm staring in the fire. The flashback from my past shoots through my mind and I can see everything clear what has happened all those years ago. It didn't hurt me or made me feel bad, it just bothers me always. During the attack all the other children were killed, all of them but me. One of the hyena's, now my own, did something strange that day. He just sniffed before pushing me on the ground and he laid down on top of me. After the man entered the room and killed my caretakers he had looked at the hyena, before discovering me. He wasn't mad, he wasn't furious, but he wasn't happy also. He just looked at me, picked me up from the ground and carried me away… I didn't cared.

That happened all seventeen years ago. Now I take care of myself, like I always have done. From my past I remember that I have brothers and sisters, but they never noticed me. My mother en father neither. My friends… well I never had friends. Maybe people would blame my bad behaviour because of my terrible youth, I will tell them my behaviour is created because I wanted it.

'Hey girl! Nice body do you have! You should come with me to my room', a voice is bellowing next to my ear. It's obvious a drunken a voice. It's a drunken voice of a very fat man who doesn't know who I am. 'Hey nice piece of meat, didn't you hear me?', the man is now breathing his filthy beer breath in my face. His fat arm is snaking around my waist and his thick, ugly fingers are touching my thigh. The poor man doesn't notice how my muscles are tighten, how my breathing gets lower and he doesn't notice dagger until it slices his throat in one clean cut. With a feeling of cool confusion I watch how a few whores are jumping from the laps of gentlemen and start streaming at the dead body. Why screaming at a dead body? He is dead. He won't hurt them anymore. With an uninterested look on my face I grasp my whiskey and drink it all in one single shot. From the corner of my eye I see the innkeeper coming from behind the bar and he starts walking towards me. I know the man, he is an former soldier of fortune and I already know that he just comes to ask me to leave and take the dead body with me. Slowly I get to my feet en before the innkeeper can open his mouth I smile my ice cold smile at him. 'Don't worry, Rick, I'm not here to make trouble. At least, until this person came and ruined my night. I'll go and take care of the body', I speak with a soft tone. Rick nods before returning to business he was doing before I killed a potential customer of his.

It's dark and cold and not many people are walking in the streets of the small village of Goldshire. A few figures keep standing still when I pass them but my companion scares them off immediately. He waited outside, while I would have my dinner en my night sleep. That was the plan. Now I'm carrying around a dead body of a fat man who thought for moment that it was his lucky night. He was lucky indeed. He died quickly, not many die quickly when I encounter them. More often even they die rather painful. Most of the time by the powerful jaws of my sweet silent animal. '_Always take care of your animal. Show him your love and devotion', _the voice of one of my past caretakers sounds in my head. I smile. Owh yeah, I take care of my animal. I feed him human flesh when possible, but not this night. I have to get rid of the body without a trace. This man is a highborn fat ass and I'm sure he will sink quickly to the bottom of the lake. Let the murlocs have a piece of him. I don't care.

'You need to come with me, Shade!', I turn around when a familiar voice is sounding near the water of the lake. I just threw in the body of the highborn and my dear hyena is offended because he can't have the meat. 'And why actually would I come with you, Kay?', I keep standing still in the moonlight. Of course I know there are more of them. All around me. Nine to be more precise. They switched there pole arms for long bows, made out of one single bone. I am a rebel amongst them. I know that pretty well. They would always want control over me, but they know that's impossible. Simply because I never cared. I live or die, it's that simple. Why people are so afraid of that I never understood. 'Shade, don't make this more difficult. I will not shoot you so come on!', the man is hissing with an angry voice. He can't stand me. Beautiful as he is he knows he can never posses me. Not that I'm so gorgeous or something. I have simple short dark red hair, that will never get in the right position so I always leave it as the way it falls that moment. My eyes have the colour of the moon, almost silver and everybody say they're just like stone or ice. No emotion, I never care about that. My body isn't much either. Strong and athletic and therefore it lacks the rounding's of a real female body. Owh yeah of course I have boobs, but because of my lifestyle I wear a tight peace of cloth around my upper body to keep them still. Fat hips I never liked, so it is a good thing I don't have those. There were two things about my body like and that is my small waistline, I couldn't easily wear a corset and never have trouble with breathing, and my legs. They're not long and slim, but rather small, but very strong. I can ran for a long time, without stopping and my record is at the moment at 4 days and 5 nights straight. My eyes flash back to the man next to the water. Poor Ray. They all know how much he likes me, but I was raised to live without emotion, to live without carrying all the time. So I simply never cared.

'We have a new target for you till kill', the big bad boss of us is strolling in front of me. I look around the room. The first time I came I was a small girl and a little bit afraid. I learned in the years after that this group, this brotherhood was feared everywhere. With the alliance as with the horde. Why? Because they simply don't answer to specific sides. Somebody need to die? Call upon the Brotherhood and they took their hyena's and weapons to take care of it. Most of the time they worked in groups, that's why they don't like me. I love to work alone. Alone with my dear grey hyena. The one who saved my life seventeen years ago.

'Pay attention Shade!', Mono is shouting at me. He clinches his fists while he looks at me. 'Your target is a serious matter. His name is Grandu del Adura and he is one of the most respected Paladins!' I only shake my head a bit and raise my shoulders an inch. 'So?', is my question. 'He will probably know that you are coming', Mono looks worried. I can't see the problem. It's rather exciting in my eyes. Finally an opponent who is worth going all the way over there and kill him. 'Then I just have to make sure that he doesn't know I'm coming.'


	3. Chapter 3 Punishment

Chapter 3 – Punishment

'Did you really thought for a whole second that I didn't knew that you were coming for me?', a man is hissing in my ear. I know this man. Well, know isn't the correct word. I know that this the man I've to kill. Everything went smooth all the way into his room. The garden wasn't as heavily guarded as I thought first (I should've known at that moment that something wasn't right). The few guards I did encounter were easy targets, correction too easy targets. I'm snapped back to the reality when I feel a small and delicate knife touching my throat. 'So predictable', only crosses my mind before I start to move. With one arm I push him away from behind me, while with my other hand I twist his wrist and he has to drop de knife. Then a fast kick with my right foot and a roll sideways and I'm clear from him and standing alive the other end of the large bedroom.

In this moment of total silence and peace I have a good chance to look at the Paladin in front of me. It's a strong man, around the age of 45 is my guess. His half long blond hair is bond in a low ponytail and his green eyes are fixed upon my face. It's just a short second, but in the moment the moonlight falls to through the large windows and my face bathe in the pale light his eyes grow an inch wider. 'That's impossible', he whispers. I take my advantage of his surprise, I would be a bad killer if I didn't use those, and I run a few steps across the room before I make a jump. The speed of the jump still in me and the weight of my body are forcing the man onto the ground with a loud bang. 'I could've done that softer', I mutter a bit annoyed, but I don't care that much. The paladin is about to die. My hand moves fast and the long, sharp dagger slices through the air in the direction of his naked throat…

'Did you really thought for a whole second that I didn't knew that you were coming for me?', I'm bound to a heavy chair and I've been placed in the middle of a large ballroom. On the wall are dozens of paintings showing family members and landscapes. At the opposite end of the door is a large stone fireplace. A warm fire is making it quit cosy. I could almost forget where I am and just relax and enjoy the warmth and the place if it wasn't for all the armed men and women around me. I sight with irritation. I hate Paladins, that's for sure now. The man I used to have killed by now is standing is front of me. He just looks. I look back. We keep this up for a very very long time until one of the female Paladins replaces her weight. This soft noise and gesture makes clear to me that's she is new in that brotherhood. She doesn't OUR brotherhood that well. She is nervous for having me, the killer Shade, in their mids and she can't handle the silence at all. I decide to play the little game and my head snaps in her direction. 'Good, she gasps for her breath and her eyes are a little bit wider than first', my mind is telling me. I keep holding her eyes prison with my ice cold moonlight look. You just can see how she grows more nervous all the time. And she breaks a lot quicker than I in first instance had expected, but hey… I always like games. In my own reality at that moment she draws her sword with the movement of a slug. At the time she has her sword at the ready I already have thrown myself backwards in my heavy chair. One thing about heavy chairs you would've never thought is that they break like glass if you do it correct.

With a backwards roll and a simply jump I'm standing in front of here. She, who doesn't sees what happening because she just a dump as a sow, is still charging at me. With a foolish and laughable thrust she tries to strike me, but even a child in the brotherhood of hyena's (as we call ourselves way too often) can dodge that one. I only take small to her side and get a good grip on her wrist. With a fast movement I push her wrist up, slide my hand behind her neck to the front of her chest. Then I only have to push her chin up to unbalance her and kick in the back of her knee to force her to ground. The fast and fluent chain of actions ends in a position where she is lying on the ground and I'm sitting with one knee over her head, the other one over her kidneys and I'm pushing her arm back over one knee. She screams while I'm breaking her arm with a loud noise.

After the short work-out (Though I really think I can't call it like that) I get to my feet, fold my hands behind my back and continue with looking straight into the eyes of the leader Paladin.

The silence continue while a few fellow Pala's helping there stupid colleague get upon her feet again before they can take her away. Nobody reacts at the opening of the large doors behind me. The only thing that happens is the men and women behind me getting out of the way to let somebody through. I can't care less for the person behind me as I did for the girl I just kicked ass. 'So, you're Shade?', a voice behind me says. I turn around and watch while an older man is making his way towards me. It's obvious he is accepting some kind of answer so I decide to do him one favour. 'Why would somebody ask for confirmation about something that person already know it's correct?', I answer his question with a counter question. The man smiles and stops in front of me. He isn't that big. I'm not that big and he is almost a tall as I am. 'You did a great job in entering this building and trying to kill my best man. We would have expected someone, but still you surprised us by getting so close to his dead.'

_Flashback:_

_My hand moves fast and the long, sharp dagger slices through the air in the direction of his naked throat…A fraction of a second later I can feel how the cold blade and the throat make contact and a small line of red blood is appearing. But suddenly my hand and blade are stuck in some kind of movement spell trap. I can't move anymore._

I only raise my shoulders a bit. I like this man. 'If I really did my work correct I would've succeeded my tasks and would be sitting next to a cosy fire with a good book and a glass of whiskey', I say. Before the old guy can react on this I continue: 'But now I'm standing in front of a cosy fire without a good book and a glass of whiskey and I had to teach a nervous little girl that you never show to your prisoner that you're afraid and certainly never attack the prisoner because you THINK she is save in a chair. Chairs can be broken you see.' The official leader of the Paladin brotherhood begins to laugh and even his fellow members look a bit surprised at him. 'You're absolutely correct, my dear girl', he laughs, before he gets serious again. 'But it is time for your punishment so take her!'

Now I'm sitting on the cold floor of the upper castle floor in the freezing wind. The Paladins are chanting something in a weird old language and the old man in front of me drawing things on the stone floor. 'Hey grandpa! This isn't really the time to play with stone chalk!', I shout at him with an annoying look. He isn't listening. Just when I think it is really getting boring and I realize I'm quit hungry the chanting stops. With a yawn I open my eyes again. The man in front suddenly glows with a golden power and his eyes look furious into mine. I only keep yawning, bored.

'My Lord! Punish this monster for all the horrible deeds it has done. Punish Shade for the 1389 murders she has committed in the last seventeen years of service for the Hyena's!', the golden lighted man is shouting into the air. 'Why shout into the air? What's the use of that? And have I just killed 1389 murders in seventeen years? That's less than 82 murders a year… I'm getting soft', is shooting through my mind. My attention is drawn back to the scene because of the annoying shouting of the fool. 'Let her punishment be to save the innocent from now on instead of killing them! For every murder she will commit from now on she will pay with a piece of her soul. For every saviour she will make she will pay back with a piece of her life. So is the Will of God!' The ritual end with a lighting striking down just a feet away from me. The only thing I can think before I pass out is: 'You son of a bitch! I will never go and save people! I was born to kill them! Starting with you when I'm awake again!'


	4. Chapter 4 Two years later

I'm sitting on a large rock in the sun. The rock is located with a lot of other rocks on mountainside of the Great Kioto. The Great Kioto is simply explained as a group of very high and very cold mountains standing together in the middle of the large continent and at each side of de Kioto starts a new country. At this particular moment I'm in a country called Lataosh. It's a very green land with a lot of forest and grass. I came to this continent 2 years ago. On the run from my old family the Brotherhood. Not because I didn't kill for them any more but because I kept killing for them. I was dying a little bit with each murder and two years things were really bad. My boss, the man that saved my life, threw me aside as a useless dog and my and my hyena were chased away. All the way until the Green Sea, where I took a ship to this continent. For the first whole year I just travelled around with my friend and started to make enemies right away. It's a gift I always say. But the weird thing was that this time my enemies were the actual bad guys. The murders guild, the thief guild and all the other dark guilds and brotherhoods. I wanted to be left alone during those two years but they kept hunting for me and so killed them. And every time I killed one them, a piece of me died with him. I never had the chance to ask the leader of the Paladins how many more I can kill or how I much lives I can save for that matter. I'm sure that it isn't as much as the 1389 lives I took.

My attention is drawn to a small village at the edge of the mountain hill. It's a small and quit beautiful village but seen the fact that one side rests against a mountain makes it an easy target and yes, my guts is right once again. I can see them clear from up here. A large group of horsemen is approaching the little town and the reactions of the inhabited s tells me enough. I never understand, even decades later, why I made the choice at that moment to help those people , but it changed my short life forever. I whistle my dear friend and start running down the hill. I check if I have my two long and sharp daggers at the hand and then I reach my small camp. I grasp my stuff and find my long staff, I was always the target of humour because of my main weapon but that was exactly the point of everything. A girl with a stick is a lesser threat then a girls with an enormous axe. At least that was they all thought before they died by that same stick. With my daggers hidden under my cloths and my staff on my back I start walking down the road towards the village.

The horsemen are in the village at the moment I enter it. The leader is standing in the middle of the square and at the feet of the horse is lying the head of town. He is wounded and can't have any more hits. Another horsemen is appearing suddenly and before the leader can do anything the man is raising his spear for an attack. The only logic thing is killing the man and my hand acts on his on behave. One shiny dagger slices through the air and one dead man is dropping next the one that is wounded. It's the first time I feel how my life pays for the life I just saved. It's stings like a bee, but that's it. The leader of the horsemen turn around while shouting: 'Who dares to interfere with the business of Lord Kartho?' I shrug my shoulders. After living for 2 years on this continent and meeting every dark lord there exist at this piece of land I'm not surprised it's Lord Kartho behind this assault. 'Who dares to attack an defenceless village?', is my counter question. I just love counter questions... The huge man looks impressive and maybe he could have impressed a lot of simple people with his appearance. But that's just the point. I'm not one of those simple people. My name is Shade and I was the best amongst one of the most fearsome Brotherhoods. Still I just keep standing there with my hands in my pockets and with an annoying expression on my face.

'My name is Brutus the Mighty and everybody fears my name', the man is laughing while he is straighting his back. He his huge and large, I have to admit that, but you know what they say about large objects: they fall down hard. 'Well my dear Brutus boy, my name is Shade and I'm not everybody', I smile like you smile at a little kid. The man on the horse notice the sarcasm and he is getting angry, very angry. With one simple movement he raises a huge hammer above his head and with an incredible speed it comes down again. I let myself fall to the ground and make a sideways roll to get clear from him. 'That was absolutely not nice of you Brutus', I speak to him and I decide that it's time to get my staff. In my glory days at the other continent this was the moment when the good guys started t get afraid and would run away. On this continent however I am not famous yet, so I have to make name all over again.

The story of my first good deed in my live ends with a lot of blood, most of the time it's theirs, and a pile of bodies. They are or smashed to dead by my staff or they're bitten to death by my dear hyena friend. One way or another, they're all dead now. The head of the little village gets to his feet and walks towards me. Most of the time I would be killing people coming towards me but this time my body doesn't really wants to move any more. The man walks slowly and his eyes are piercing mine. Then he starts to examine my body and weapon. For just a second his eyes are resting on my hidden daggers and the look in his eyes tell me that he once was a warrior himself. Still on my guard I keep watching him getting closer, then suddenly he raises both arms and grasps my shoulders. 'Thank you, my dear child!', he shouts. 'You saved the entire village at a moment you shouldn't have to come to our aid! Thank you!' It's alarming but I start liking the weird and warm feeling in running through my body. At the moment I think the villagers are getting to relaxed around me and my friend I say goodbye and leave the village.

I'm still Shade and though I'm not a Hyena Brother any more I won't become suddenly men's best friend, like a dog...


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- Run bitch run!

With a sight of pure boredom young Shade is watching over the springfeast in the capital city of Lika. I still isn't used to the fact that I has to live here on this terrible continent. Last week I was killing some smugglers down at one the coast towns and they actually thanked me. Kindness was like a disease in my eyes, it was absolutely contagious. Not that I was suddenly an angel of something but I noticed that things were changing very slowly the past few months. 'It a started at that stupid little village in the mountains', I'm muttering angry. And now I'm even at this idiotic springfeast where kings and queens, lords and lady's just begged to be killed by a super skilled rogue like myself. It was just an torture. They all walked among the common folk waving like they are shouting: 'Look at me! I'm here! Please kill me!' Still grunting the young woman presses her hands against her ears as if she could lock out the little killing voice.

'I know the music is bad, but it can't be thát bad aye?', a voice behind me is bellowing. With an annoyed look on my face I turn around and my hand holds my knife before I know it. 'Ey lassie! I didn't mean to scare ya!', a big dwarf is shouting. Completely stunned the rogue stares at the man in front of me. Though I have always heard about dwarfs and elves and those irritating drenai I never actually saw any of them during my work. I kept to humans who are easily distracted and even faster killed. But dwarfs are one of those three races who don't need rogues to kill them. Most of the time they're under their mountains making mess in their own realm. So rogues aren't necessary to keep order by killing them all the time. Still confused and with my thoughts somewhere else I watch as the dwarf laughs out loud and sits down next to me without question!

'Sir, what are you doing?', the young woman asks in her politest manner which sounds as angry snake in her lair. The dwarf doesn't seems to notice or else he doesn't seem to care. "The party is a better place to view from up here lassie', the man laughs deep and rumbling. Shade can't help it but for the first time in her 24 year old life she likes somebody immediately and not because she is going to kill him. She let the dwarf do all he talking and learns that he is a high lord in Ironforge, a dwarf city on this weird continent. The elves don't live in these lands and the drenai aren't very fond of this continent either. They reside on the other continent both on large islands. Shade is very interested in everything the man tells her. So the elves and the others live on the same side of the world as she once did! That is a very weird thought, but exciting at the same time.

'I'm sorry what were saying? I wasn't listening', I apologies and it comes to me surprise that this is actually one of those rare moments I'm meaning it. 'The man at her right side, his name his Kotai the young rogue learned, turns his heads and laughs again. 'I was telling ya lassie that my friend is looking for me I see', Kotai points down the hill to show what he is meaning. With a gasp for fresh air I prevents myself from making a very shocked noise. 'That is NOT a dwarf', my killing voice is shouting in her head. With a fast mental punishment I recover from my first shock and I try my best to look annoyed again.

Strolling up the hill towards the rogue and dwarf is a man. His half long dark blue hair is tied back in a ponytail, but there a stubborn pieces of hair trying to get lose and are hanging in his face. It gives him a charming look I have to admit and I can hit myself in the head. 'What the hell am I thinking?' and before I can stop myself I put my head in my hands and shakes. 'Something wrong lassie?', the big dwarf next to me is asking. 'No Kotai, nothing is wrong', I grin as I jump to my feet. 'I just remembered that I promised my father that I would meet him at the feast down there', the lie forms quickly in my head and even faster on my tongue. The dwarf looks suspicious at me, but he believes my lie anyway and before he gets the chance to ask more I'm already halfway down the hill.

'What was that my old friend', the Elf asks the dwarf. 'I have no idea Jenyai, but I don't have the feeling that she isn't completely trustworthy', Kotai is mumbling while he watches the young girl vanishing in the crowd. 'Of course you can';t trust her completely my friend. She is a child', the Elf grins, but gets serious the moment he looks at the eyes of the dwarf. 'Remember all those massacres we've heard about on Kalimdor as well in the Eastern Kingdoms? Don't you think it is weird that at one continent it stops and it continues on the other one? I don't know if she has anything to do with them, but I do know that she knows more about it.'


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Roguetime again?

With a sight of relief I step into a dark corridor and I can't feel the eyes of the dwarf in my back anymore. I actually liked the strong man, but the fact that he looked at me as if I was made of glass scared me in a way I had never experienced before. Still panting like I run a few miles I look around the crowd. I forced myself to stay out of sight because if Kortai saw me without my 'dad' I was absolutely screwed and not in the good way. The only way I can think of now to stay out of sight is to return to my rogue outfit again. Luckily for the inn I'm staying in is just a few feet away. Quickly walking from shadow to shadow I manage to stay out of the sight of the hill and the people I pass don't even see me. Soon I'm dressed in my regular black cloths and I'm ready to venture into the city again.

'Are you the famous and unstoppable Shade of the Hyena Brotherhood?', a voice behind me is hissing. Weird to hear my own name here in the Eastern Kingdom, but I remain silent. The man behind me is huge and heavy. With every step he makes the ground shakes like there is a small earthquake. Next to that I notice that he is extra unstable on his huge smelling feet. 'I won't repeat myself again little killing machine. Are you Shade…', that's all he can say before my knifes pinch his arm to wall behind him. With a grunt of pain he tries to free himself but the more struggles the deeper I forces the knife in his arm. 'You said you wouldn't repeat yourself you ugly gorilla', My voice is low and very icy. It's just a moment that it makes me think of home and even of my friend Kay. He would have been particularly proud of me reacting this fast. 'You can't be the tasks giver fat ass. You're simply to stupid to think of something.' I step closer towards him and my other long, skinny, shining knife ducks towards his throat. 'This is the end.'

'You wouldn't kill my beloved fat nephew now would you?', a third voice is pounding through the alley. It's a voice that even I would fear if I'm smart. And unfortunately I'm smart so I keep standing there and wait for the person to show himself. The man is skinny, almost a skeleton, and he has a burned scar running from is right till left ear. Like somebody tried to chop of the top of his head. It is obvious that this is de leader and probably the leader of a pretty large group of murdering sons of a bitches. His voice is hard and slippery like ice, but I notice to my great confident that I can sound more dangerous. I keep standing there with one knife through the fat mans arm and the other one under his chin, watching the skeleton wrong the corner of my eye. When he makes no impression that he is going to attack me and I'm certain he is alone and nobody else is around or above me, I release the poor dude in front of me. Fast he tries to run away but my leg is in the way so he smashes hard against the ground.

Then I turn around completely and lower my knives. With a quick move of my wrist they're going and I see a look of utter surprise on the Skeletons face. 'They told me you're good, even the best, but I didn't expected to meet with a girl with fast knives', the Skeleton thinks he is making a joke so politely I smile. 'My former boss was at least a real man, not chopped in two parts Skeleton like yourself', I throw in his face. He grins and after a few seconds he starts to laugh. 'Okay girl, I like you and…', the man stops and is honestly shock when one of my knives is sticking out of the wall just an inch away from left ear. 'The name is Shade', is all the explanation I give.

I look at myself in the mirror. This is definitely nót me! But hey, to find out why the Skeleton wants to kill a few Elves, Drenai and Dwarfs even I have to dress up sometimes. My new 'task giver' arranged a real and authentic invitation for the ball later this evening and I'm now trying on a kinds of dresses. My thoughts are not with the dresses but wrong a distance I nod or shake my head at the lady. All these dresses are so wrong. Of course I don't know much about dresses, but I do know that at least I have to like it. Next to that I don't want to draw to much attention to my own person. The pink, green and light blue dresses are all to light of colour and not the good shape for my body. I still don't have much female body but at least I can finally show of my breasts without have to put a cloth around them. When after a small two hours I still don't have a dress I change my approach. 'What if I take a corset and a nice wide skirt?', is my suggestion. Immediately the young lady in front of my gets energy again and she runs towards the corsets. It doesn't take long or I have a corset in my arms and a skirt. The corset is black with dark red edges and the skirt is dark red with black edges. It so totally fits with my now long red hair. All I have to now is get dressed, go to the party and fake a murder on three different highborn people.

While I'm getting dressed I go over the information about the three highborn targets. I didn't got the chance earlier because I had to buy cloths and nice boots and stuff. After I put on the skirt, corset, bracelets and even my hair in a nice braid I grasps the files of my bed and sit down. The first file shows a female Drenai. I never liked their looks, with the blue skin and horns. I could understand why man totally fell for those women but I never could fall one of their men. She was a 'dangerous' figure in the fight against Burning Crusade army of Blood Elves and other enemies. 'Hmm maybe I do like her after all', I smile . As long as she loved to kill I could like her. The second file was an Elf. Also a female but for a reason I can´t explain she looks familiar. After thinking for a few seconds I remember. The man on the hill! That same blue hair and the same eyes! But wait a minute, if that Elfish woman is the youngest princes of the Elfen King Latroa than the man from the hill has to be one of his sons. Owh god, this never can work out! The third file is the biggest one. Full of notes and how dangerous this high dwarven lord had to be. Finally I get to his picture and I can't breathe. That´s Kotai! Okay, now I know for sure that the Skeleton is the bad guy here and I just have to find a way to fake the murders. Luckily I´m always prepared for these kind of nasty tasks. And of course I´m already paid for the job.

A knock on the door gets my attention. My hand is underneath my pillow gasping my one of my hiding knives. ´Yes, please do enter´, I say in a my sweetest voice and I can be real sweet sometimes. I cross my legs and sit up straight now that I´m wearing a corset and skirt to show that I´m a lady. A man is entering and I recognise him as the ´librarian' man. A man who could get every information you needed as long as you paid the right price. ´I found the information you needed', he mutters while I gives me the file. 'Thank you', I put a 5 gold pieces in his hand and the man leaves. I open the file and it reveals the picture of the Skeleton. 'Well mister Skeleton. I won't go crashing a party before I know everything there is to know about my tasks giver', I smile while I start to read…


	7. Chapter 7 Fake the Kill

Chapter 7 – Fake the Kill

I watched the crowd as I stepped through the huge wooden doors. There are so many highborns and other high status people that it is almost too much to bear for a simple rogue like me. 'But tonight I'm not a rogue', I whisper. That's most certain. Today I'm Lady Scarlet from the southern regions of the far away country Stranglethorn. I chuckle at the thought of suddenly being a highborn, it's almost too ridiculous too believe. After I have taken in the view of the large throne hall and the whereabouts of the three highborns and the tables for dinner I start my plan.

The first who will fall my charms is the Elfen princess and yes I can act to be adorable when it's necessary. I see her standing and without any further delay I dash in her direction. 'Well hello princess Kíra, it's so good to see you', and with those words my long dreaded story begins. Finally after much lying and telling how my parents were horribly killed by the demons and left me an orphan I won her sympathy. 'You should sit with me Scarlet. I'll be sitting on the left table on the corner and with me will be a dwarven lord and Raisa, my drenai friend', the princess is telling me. I just smile and nod friendly and let her lead me towards the table.

When it's time to sit down for dinner I'm in for an awfully surprise, I'm not that well prepared for. Kotai doesn't seems to recognise me and that means my outfit is successful again, but the man who is taking the seat in front of me is… 'May the brotherhood shoot me where I sit', I mutter softly, when my eyes lock with the man in front of me. 'Greetings Lady Scarlet, my name is Lord Jenyai', the man states in a very strong and smoothing voice, while he brushes his soft lips against my hand. Believe me, I'm an emotionless killer, I never care for someone of something beside my hyena, but now I can't even remember how to breathe. His moon coloured eyes pierce into mine and I just know he sees in me the young woman who ran away from him. Suddenly I recall where I'm and with an amazing little bow and formal tone I'm able to answer him. 'It's a delight meeting you, my lord. I'm Lady Scarlet from the most southern regions of Stranglethorn Valley.' I can see from the slight change in his looks he is surprised that I didn't immediately collapsed at his feet, when I noticed he saw through my disguise. I grin in myself. 'Idiot! Don't think you got Shade that easily!', my mind is yelling at the man in front of me.

It's been a while since dinner started and still the servants are carrying in dishes with food. I almost drop dead, I ate too much. Meanwhile I started a nice conversation with Raisa, a drenai shaman and eagerly to kill enemies, the princess Kíra, a strong warrior and also ready to kill and than we have at my other side the always nice and strong Kotai. Even though he doesn't recognise me, I do like him very much. Jenyai has kept quiet most of the time trying to see me through and what my business are here and now.

Dinner is finished with a special grand desserts. It's some sort of ice-cream but very specific for this region of the Eastern Kingdom. As far as I know things are still going as planned. 'I'm sorry, but will you ladies and lords please excuse me for me a moment?', I ask while I make a head movement towards the door. In the doorway is a woman standing. I know her only as Darky and she is my alibi to get away from this party without being suspected. Darky has a reputation here in this room as a very important lady from a merchant. When my table companions see who is waiting for me they nod. And while I'm leaving the hall as fast as I can, they are making ready to eat as much of the desert as possible…

That evening I feel horrible, no not horrible… I feel like my life is slipping away from my fingers. It's weird but in the 2 years and a few months I've been here it's this evening that hís voice is ringing through my head for the first time. "_Let her punishment be to save the innocent from now on instead of killing them! For every murder she will commit from now on she will pay with a piece of her soul. For every saviour she will make she will pay back with a piece of her life. So is the Will of God!" _ The only thought that passes through my mind before I fall into darkness is 'That fucking Paladin Master will pay, even if it's the last thing I'll ever do!"


	8. Chapter 8 Love is Weakness

Chapter 8 – Love is weakness

'She is waking up, step back!', a voice is yelling next to my ear. My hand extends quickly and I hear a gasp of surprise, when I hit my target. 'Shut up, you bloody idiot.', I mutter and then I turn onto my side and leave the others in de room waiting. 'What the hell do you think you're doing, Shade of the Hyena Brotherhood?', the strong voice of king Valiant is pounding through my head. 'If you haven't noticed, my king, I was trying to get some sleep when the stoke hit me and now I'm going to get back to sleep. I don't owe you anything', I hiss angrily. Before I know what's happening to me, I get dragged out of my cosy bed and put to my feet in front of a rather large group I see now. Some Elfs, Dwarfs, Humans and Drenai are standing in front of me and of course Darky. She smiles at me with this nasty look in her eyes and I know this was Skeletons plan all along. Let me kill them and they kill me, easy put right? I smile back with a pesky little smile, but remain still. 'Lady Gaila. It's time for you to return to your husband. Thank you for telling us who murdered Raisa, Kotai, Kíra and Jenyai', the human king is stating formally with a little bow. After one more poisoning look of Darky she turns around and leaves me alone with these man…. A very stupid thing to do.

'Well, Shade…', I turn my head back to the human king when he speaks to me. While I'm doing that I notice that there are more highborn people around. The Elven king and queen look broken with the loss of two of their children, the Dwarf highlord looks only pissed off and then of course the leader of those blue horned, hoofed drenai. 'Shade, why did you kill them? Who gave you the assignment? Was it the brotherhood? Are they operating in the Eastern Kingdoms as well?', the questions are coming fast and I get dizzy. That's weird, I never get dizzy, I'm never sick, I never even have to sit down to regain my strength. But now my knees are getting weak and before I know it I'm sitting on the ground as a pesky little child panting heavily. 'Have you even checked properly if they're dead?', I feel really bad now and I'm beginning to understand the paladins words a bit when I notice very small cuts on my hands. Before someone else can see them they're gone, but understand that this is al connected.

'Properly dead?', a woman is yelling hysterical and I look up at the human queen in anger. 'Hey lady! Shut up!', I shout in my fury and I try to get back to my feet. The only thing I feel is pain and that pisses me off. The queen is shocked but I don't care. I stumble a few steps and stop before the queen herself. 'Yes, properly dead yeah. Yah think I kill three highborns in front of you all? I'm better than that! I didn't trust Skeleton from the moment he appeared and that's why I FAKED the kill, you bitch. I saved the people I goddamn had to kill! They're waking up as we speak and I'm going to kill some high Paladin dude for what he did to me!'. I turn around and stumble in the direction of the doors. My surroundings are spinning fast and everything is just one big blur of colours and shadows. 'Maybe I just stick around a bit until I can properly walk again', I mutter before the darkness fully takes me.

When I finally wake up again it's somewhere in the afternoon and I'm hungry. Without any hesitation I get out of bed, put on some cloths from the bag they got from my room and start walking down the hallways. Left, right, up the stairs, down the stairs, I'm lost before I know what I'm doing. Just when I'm desperate to get out of this stupid palace and I just have to ask directions I smell…. Food! My feet start to run and the rest of my body has no choice but to follow. I turn one last corner and there is the kitchen. I use my rogue skills to get inside the kitchen and locate the smelly food. It's some kind of bird meat and it smells very good. I snatch a large piece of meat and sneak out of the kitchen again. When I was being lost earlier this morning I saw a garden…. It was surrounded with walls, but it was still a garden. I loved nature because I've always lived in the forest and fields and mountains. When I finally find the garden again I hop over the wall and land In the soft grass. I pull off my boots and let the grass tickle my feet. After a bit of searching I see a tree that looks like he could be my treebuddy and I settle underneath it.

I work through my piece of well earned meat and think of my hyena friend. I left him outside the city in the forest. He can survive on his own very well, but he is eager to be with me. So the dangerous thing that could occur is that he is going to look for me. I look up distracted when suddenly a bunch of leaves is falling around and on top of me. My eyes lock again with the moon coloured ones and I have to use all my inner will to raise my eyebrow in boredom and look in front of me again. My fine piece of meat is covered with leaves! Angry I jump to my feet and turn towards the man in the tree. 'Get down here at once!', I shout furious while waving with my half eaten bird. 'I demand you get me a new piece of meat! And I want it….', I suddenly stop thinking, I can't move anymore and my inner will to fight him is gone.

What happened:

While I was shouting furiously at Jenyai to get down and get me a new piece of meat, he jumps down indeed. He came from the tree swift, landed in front of me and before I could even see him or think: 'Hey there he is… I have to step back' he pushed his lips hungry on mine.

Finally after a few seconds of the taste of his lips I push him away hard. He smacks again the tree and looks at me as if he wants to challenge me. I'm surprised that it takes all of my self control to force me to whip my lips with a disgusting look on my face. My dagger is in my hand fast and to save my reputation I throw it at him with stunning speed and accuracy. He is surprised as well when the dagger is swaying next to his pointed ear. I hear him breath heavily and when I think I have him, he begins to grin. 'Is that all you got?', then he is gone. Over the wall and gone! I don't even think, but get my knife back and jump after him. I see him a few times during my hunt and all he does is challenge and taunt me more. 'He will pay for this', my mind is hissing. 'He will pay for me losing my reputation!' The men and woman in my way have to jump to the sides because I don't stop for them. I almost run over the human king, the dwarven lord, the drenai leader and the elven king but I still don't care. I know they're staring at my back amused, while I'm spotting the large throne hall, now for games, eating and just relaxing. 'Where is he? Where is he?', my mind is shouting in my head.

At the moment I finally see him standing in the corner a sudden realization is hitting me straight in the face. 'I hunt him like a little girl! No worse, I hunt him like a little girl in love!', my mind is whispering. I stand still and suddenly feel the amused looks of all around me. He wants the embarrass me and he just did that. A few man are starting to laugh and soon more. I remain perfectly still, while I'm calling for my friend. The special bond we have with our animals make that possible. Just at the moment the group of men at my right is laughing that loud that even the high ladies and lords behind my back are starting I totally lose it. My blanket of killer instinct is getting back and so is my will to kill them all. A familiar rage is taking hold of me and one side of me wants to shout them to stop or there will be blood, but the other one is collecting the rage.

One of the mern is standing up and walks towards me, laughing so loud that it hurts in my ears. 'Having a nice hunt wanabe killer?', his voice is pounding through the hall. I turn my face towards him and my eyes are stone and my voice is as ice. 'Now I will have a nice hunt, my dear dead man. Nobody messes with Shade', and with those words my knives flashes and the man is lying on the ground bleeding. 'Come! My dear Blood Hyena! Hear the call of your Mistress and take revenge!', my voice sounds icy and loud and then the doors crash open and my friend is here…

We didn't kill many people. Just the few man at the table who were laughing. In the chaos I could get away and just before I jump on my pony I hear a voice calling my name. It's Jenyai, I know that the others are standing with him. I don't even turn my horse around, but I just ride out of the gate. The guard is holding me and I look at him. 'Let me through man if you want to live', my voice is just as icy as before. The man nods, but before I can even pass, there is a dragon soaring through the skies. I look up and recognise the nether dragon immediately… Skeleton! I give my dear pony Sunny all the commands he needs and we start running, but I know it's too late. The dragon dives, grasps me of the back of Sunny and we're gone.


	9. Chapter 9 Skeleton is not amused

Chapter 9 – Skeleton is not amused

I feel nothing anymore. I stopped feeling things a while ago. How long? I have absolutely no idea. The only thing I do know is that it hurts. Every time I hear that door opening up behind me, I know there will be pain. But I came to a weird conclusion a few days ago, at least I think they're days, and that's the fact that it's hurt not as much as that night after me saving those 3 highborns. So there are times during my torture I can only laugh and ask if that is all they have got. Then they get angry and punish me more, but it just can't match up with the pain of losing a piece of my life…. Or was it soul again? The only thing I hate about this is all is that I can't think clear. Only the strong memories are rushing through my head.

Like that faithful day in the day care, when I was just a little girl. Those hyena's and their murderous masters. How a young hyena saved my life, by laying on top of me. How the Master accepted me and made this way. I learned not to care, not to think about emotions and absolutely not to feel them. But there was this one emotion I always felt somehow. Anger, fury and if I gave in to that feeling things turned completely crazy for me. Some people called in a 'frenzie' because nobody was able to stop me until the fury was gone again.

My mind is going black again and then suddenly, just before I'm totally gone other memories are surfacing. The fight in the little mountain village about a year ago. One of my first 'good' fights. But it's weird, I never felt the sharp pain then, nor when I saved those lake people from fire mages and when I killed those wicked goblins to protect a small camp in Stranglethorn Valley I was completely fine. So why now? Why would I feel the loss of my life now and not before? Somewhere deep inside I just know that I lost pieces of life every time I saved others, but I never felt the blighting pain before.

But then suddenly HE enters my mind again. Those moon coloured eyes are just making me melt inside and that's confusing me. I was taught not to feel anything…. Then why the hell am I feeling this sickness… called love? His face is refusing to leave my mind and the way he stood against the tree is making my body go crazy. My hands are aching to dig in his long dark blue hair and to touch his silky looking skin. And then the matter of his lips. The fact that he kissed me so roughly full of this unexplained need makes even my heart flutter. I try to shut away the feeling or at least just describe it is as a need to be with a man again. After all I'm a woman, so that's we want now and then. But somehow these images of him against the tree challenging me and asking me if that's all I got, is making me boiling inside. Not towards him, but towards Skeleton and the pathetic way I let myself be treated.

One more time I play the memory in my head again. How he laughed at me, challenged me, taunted me and yes, even how he kissed me. I didn't even noticed at that moment, but now I can recall the sweet softness and taste of his lips. Some kind of forest fruit, sweet and addicting. After I let him ask me one more time if this is al I got, I force myself to open my eyes and drink in the surroundings. It's a small cell and definitely made for one person. There is a small hard, wooden bed and something that is obviously made to pee in. My slightly more feminine side takes over and with a sight of disgust I get myself to my feet. 'No way, I'm staying here!', my mind is shouting hatefully. I take a good look at the lock and I'm very very disappointed in Skeleton. He locks away a master rogue like myself in a cage with a lock from the stone age.

I take a quick look around the corner. It's obviously that Skeleton don't think I will able to stand up, let alone walk out of here. I don't even take the effort to turn myself invisibly and I walk in the middle of the hallway. When I turn around another corner I suddenly stand eye in eye with a huge, and then I mean huge, man with a large sword strapped to his back. His bold head and red eyes are staring a bit surprised in mine and when I step pass him he just turns around. 'Are you not the prisoner of Mr. Black?', the man asks. 'So, he's big AND stupid', is crossing my mind. I know that I look fairly beaten and that it's obvious I'm the prisoner. 'Yes', I sight. 'I'm the prisoner of Skeleton and who are you?' The man chuckles at my responds. 'Skeleton is name which fits him better indeed. My name is Rusho the Gandir and I'm just one of his rent swords. I was send to get you rogue.' I raise an eyebrow and look at him. I'm far to weak to take him on my own and my hyena is not even close with me I can feel. I could run away from him, but with that voice he could wake up a bear from hibernation. So I keep standing there waging my options. 'Well, maybe you should go tell Skeleton I'm busy at the moment and I will see him later?', it's worth a shot.

Rusho the Giant is looking down at me and he is also waging his options. 'Are you that scared of Skeleton?', I can't resist to ask. The man shakes his head and just when he wants to answer me a loud bang is breaking the silence in the castle. I think it's a castle at least, because of the effort people put in the fact of hanging up torches and drapes. Suddenly a group of goblins and orcs run through the hallway and just before they turn around the corner, Rusho pushes me into a small empty broom closet. 'We're under attack Human! Go protect Mr. Black! Now', the obious leader of the squad is yelling at the giant. At the moment they're gone Rusho drags me out again and points out of the window. I take a look and see that there are humans outside! Not only humans but also dwarfs on their gryphons, elves on their tigers and drenai on their abnormal large elephants thingies. I turn around and shout in Rusho's ear: 'Why are they here? It can't be because of me?', I'm grinning. Rusho shakes his head. 'Skeleton took children from the city before accidentally stumbled over you. They say he will use them to experiment and even change in demons of some kind', the man's voice is rumbling. When I ask him where he keeps the children he points towards a staircase in left corner of the large hallway.

I start to run and when I turn around I'm surprised to see the giant behind me. 'He walks like an Elf!', my mind is grinning and with just two of us we charge down the stairs. I don't even stop when we reach the end. I know the room is full of guards but this has to happen quickly or otherwise they have the moment to kill the kids. With a smooth move I throw my two smallest daggers and two goblins fall, then I get my two favoured long knives and turn the last corner into the dungeon. Just before I throw myself in the group goblins and the only thing I wonder is why the hell there are so many guards. The entire room is one black sea of green goblins and they all start to grin and shout as they see me. But they fall into a shocked silence when I attack in so much fury that most of them are dead before they can blink with their eyes. When after me the gigantic Rusho is appearing they start to scream, but this time of fear. I let the man lead the way and while he is killing them two or three at the time I take out the ones that make a run for the stairs.

We are so busy with to two of us that we don't notice the attacks stop on the outside. We are so completely drowned in an urge too kill them all that we don't feel the presence of the people behind us. I do feel the eyes, but I don't have time to look around. I drop to all four when a group of swords is rushing my way and I kick there legs underneath them. I jump up high with my daggers in attack mode and the group is slain before they can get up. I throw a few more knives I pick from my boots, legs, waist, and upper torso and then my knives are gone. Only my daggers remain. 'Rusho, take left!', I shout, just when my eye locks with my target…. Darky. With a scream of frustration I throw myself in the group of kids and make my way over to hear. When I'm almost there she suddenly raises a small, blond haired boy. 'Don't you try Shade of Hyena Brotherhood or I will kill him!', she shouts while pointing a knife at his throat. I hear a little whimper behind me and I know it's that's stupid queen again.

I put away my knives and take a long look at here and my surroundings. Now I notice that behind is standing a small group of Elves, Drenai, Humans and Dwarfs. I see that the princess, the prince, the drenai and Kotai are all there. I have to force myself not to lock my eyes with Jenyai's, but can't keep my heartbeat from raising sharply and my blood pumps faster. I manage to turn around and I take a deep breath. 'Well Darky, it looks like we have a problem', I say calmly. The woman in front of me is raising an eyebrow. 'And why is that?', she asks. 'You can't leave this room', is my simple answer. Darky pushes the dagger against the princes throat and a small drop of blood is appearing. I hear his mother screaming but I don't care. 'This child will die if you don't let me pass', her voice is pounding through the little room. I take a look at my left and see Rusho standing I lock my eyes and he knows what I'm going to do. I step aside and let her pass. She stops in front of me. 'It looks like the famous Shade with no emotions is getting weak inside. You ever dream of a man? Marriage? Children?', with those words she walks pass me and towards the group. They stand aside also, but just before she reaches the staircase I answer her questions. 'Marriage is for the weak, children are annoying bitches I don't care about and dreaming of man? Maybe', my voice is clear of ice since a long time.

Darky starts walking again, but she is getting weak suddenly. The child runs towards his father, the human king, and the woman collapses on the ground. I walk towards her, with my hands in my pockets and when I'm next to her body lying on the ground I turn her on her back with my foot. 'And Darky, tell me… how does feel to die?', my voice is soft and I'm surprised that somewhere I pity her. I kneel beside her and from the corner of my eyes I see the kings, queens, prince, princess and lords watch me closely. I lock my eyes with hers and she is also surprised. 'You're eyes', she has difficulty speaking as dead takes her. 'They're not of stone anymore… how did you..?' I smile and put a strands of hair behind her ear. 'I poisoned you when I gave you that cut during the fight', I explain touching the wound in her side. 'Impossible', she whispers. I shake my head and watch the light fade from her eyes. I know she can still hear me when I say: 'Nothing is impossible for Shade. Ex member of the Hyena Brotherhood.' And she is dead…


End file.
